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Saving Congressman Ryan

Poor Congressman Ryan may find out as John Nance Garner observed that the “vice presidency is not worth a warm bucket of spit,” but the nomination is worth even less.You get all the heart ache, all the scrutiny, have to turn in more copies of your taxes than the presidential candidate and you have no power what-so-ever.

This is a terrible thing to do to a fundamentally decent person. Sure, I don’t agree with him about much of anything–least of all that Romney would make a good president, but he is not evil incarnate. He is intelligent, articulate and thoughtful–even though his thoughts lead, in my view, frequently towards error.

This is a nomination that most folks like. It shows some risk-taking on Romney’s part. He has picked someone more articulate, charismatic and philosophically constant than himself. (Okay, that is a low bar, but is worth something.) Romney risks being over-shadowed. So, kudos to Mitt for some courage. Ryan makes glad the hearts of true conservatives because he is, in fact, one of them. He makes even gladder the hearts of many liberals who want to run against him and his very conservative record–a record including rejecting not only abortion but birth control and in vitro. However, I always caution that one should be careful about one’s wishes. He is likely to be formidable.

I like the nomination because he actually stands for something and may help this horrible, dirty and smear-filled campaign actually turn towards the examination of ideas and philosophies. Maybe we can stop talking all the personal stuff and begin to talk about two very different political and economic philosophies for governing our nation.

That would be lovely. I look forward to his presence changing the tone and the focus for the better–at least for a while, a blessed while.
2012 Jonathan Dobrerwww.Dobrer.com

I find it hard to stomach your rather pleasant comments about Ryan, including your assessment that his presence in the campaign will “change the tone and the focus for the better.” What are you, nuts?

I’ll skip my horrible, dirty smears about this guy for the moment (although they’re ready at the drop of a hat), and simply state the reason that Romney has chosen him as a running mate.

Romney doesn’t need Ryan to pick up a single vote from independent or uncommitted voters, that’s not what he’s there for. Ryan was chosen for the benefit of all the ultraconservatives and big money folks, who are delighted to have one of their own “a heartbeat away from the presidency.” Now they can feel good about contributing millions more $$ to Romney’s campaign, most of which will be spent on lying and deceitful TV ads aimed at trashing President Obama.

While it would be nice to be able to say good things about the Romney/Ryan marriage, I find it impossible to do anything but worry.

John Galt

Note to the editor of Friendly Fire: should you ever lose the services of Earl Hutchinson and need another whack job, alibee 5 might be available.

alibee 5

Sorry, Jon, and John Galt, maybe instead of telling you why I think Romney and friends have chosen Ryan, I should explain why I have bad, bad things to say about him – based on his own record. First of all, regarding gayness: he voted to ban same-sex marriage; voted against the hate crimes prevention act; supports banning same sex adoption. Regarding women: would ban certain forms of birth control; voted to defund planned parenthood; wants to outlaw abortion. Regarding seniors: He would privatize Social Security (and has called it a Ponzi scheme); wants to cut medicaid and “change” medicare. wants subsidies for big oil; would certainly cut taxes for millionaires, raise taxes on the middle class and even low income families, wants to cut Pell grants, clean energy investments; would extend the patriot act; voted to increase defense spending; voted no on removing troops from Afghanistan; and voted with George Bush 94% of the time. OK?

I know, he’s got good hair.

Jonathan Dobrer

I was always puzzled when Black friends of mine would say they prefer the honest hostility of the Southern White to the sweet hypocrisy of Northern Liberals. I am NOT defending Ryan.s beliefs only pointing out the he, unlike Romney, actually has some.

And yes, for a while, maybe we can debate two VERY different views of government instead of only the personal.

alibee 5

Jon, it seems to me that one view of government is for the welfare of all of the people, the way the country was set up; the other view seems to be exclusively for the wealthy. What’s to debate?

Jonathan Dobrer

Whether I like the other side or not, this election can be about people or ideas. It can be personal or philosophical. That is a choice. Yje media is more interested in the personal because it’s easy to understand.

Jack

I wonder how many heated debates (arguments) he and his wife have had through the years about their political beliefs. I would imagine the air around them got heated quite often.

The views of the government is “What’s in it for me? and to h— with the people. What can we do to make it harder?”

Don’t forget, we only see what the candidates want us to see and never really get to see their real beliefs and personalities until it is too late to change the outcome. Just look at what we have now!

BGF

Jon,

Have you lost your moral sight!? Ryan is a very bad guy, with very bad ideas that would do nothing but add hurt to this already hurting country. He represents all that is evil-greed, self interest, hypocracy and stupididy. Please tell me your having problems with your vision.

Jonathan Dobrer

I will not say that many of my readers do not understand my point, because it is my job to make my point and clearly, I have failed.

I am not endorsing Ryans plans, priorities or ideas. I was hoping (though you will note my shift to the past tense) that having a candidate who actually believes in something (in contrast to the moral Mobius Strip that is Romney) might let us talk about what Obama called, only yesterday, the “Two fundamentally different visions of this country.”

tommd

i did get Jon’s point and support his hope that the debate will evolve to more about choices than personalities ( but am not optimistic) i do enjoy the exchange here and once again am grateful we live in a land where this type of debate is possible… let freedom ring!!

alibee 5

I’m sorry, Jon, I’d like to let this drop, but I cannot buy your view that it’s better to have any opinion than an unclear opinion, or no opinion at all. As with your “black” example, I myself would prefer to have someone remain politely phony than to have someone being honest and true to their beliefs in my face, calling me names, and potentially trying to do me harm. In the same way, a wishy-washy flip-flopper is easier to deal with than a candidate who strongly believes in something “bad” and isn’t afraid to say so and tries to convince others to go along with him. I just don’t see the two views of government that you’d prefer we discuss.
I agree with tommd (above): grateful we can discuss this here; let freedom ring.

I can’t help it, you really hit a sore spot with me. Just read this article, curious to hear your thoughts.

PAUL RYAN TO SPEAK AT HATE GROUP’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE: Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan will speak at the Family Research Councils Values Voter Summit next month in D.C. and is drawing other anti-LGBT names including Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum. The FRC has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its a group that has advocated for the criminalization of homosexuality, called for LGBT people to be exported from the U.S., and has pushed dangerous lies trying to link being gay to pedophilia.

Jonathan Dobrer

Obviously, I do not agree with Ryan on any of these issues, and I’m not endorsing him. He does offer voters a choice and drags Romney into the voters’ choices. His positions on social issues are not acceptable to me. From birth control to GLBT, I’m in the opposite camp. You know where to find me.

As we all know where to find him. He is not a stealth candidate or a shapeshifter. Romney squishes into every position to avoid taking a position. Romney only talks goals and almost never means. Ryan talks means and talks mean.

But please do not underestimate him. He has a likability factor that is hard to either measure or understand. This means that people may vote for him even if they disagree with his policies. It is the “it” factor that Reagan had. Our electorate is not ideological but phermonic. We elect people we like. This is one reason that Romney will most likely lose. Except for some extremes, folks seem to like Obama and not Romney. Worth a lot in a close election and Ryan could be worth something to Romney.

alibee 5

OK, Jon, I know that you are not in agreement with Ryan’s proposals. Clearly, they are all wrong.

The reason I entered this discussion was that after reading your second paragraph regarding Ryan: “This is a terrible thing to do to a fundamentally decent person….he is not evil incarnate. He is intelligent, articulate and thoughtful…” I just had to comment.

After reading what he stands for, do you really believe that he is basically “a decent person”?

Truly sorry to be so aggressive and adamant about this, but the guy is a liar and a bad guy. I don’t feel sorry that he has to be put through the strain of the vice presidency. I hope they both go down in flames.

Love you, ali

alibee 5

OK, Jon, I know that you are not in agreement with Ryan’s proposals. Clearly, they are all wrong.

The reason I entered this discussion was that after reading your second paragraph regarding Ryan: “This is a terrible thing to do to a fundamentally decent person….he is not evil incarnate. He is intelligent, articulate and thoughtful…” I just had to comment.

After reading what he stands for, do you really believe that he is basically “a decent person”?

Truly sorry to be so aggressive and adamant about this, but the guy is a liar and a bad guy. I don’t feel sorry that he has to be put through the strain of the vice presidency. I hope they both go down in flames.